Nut-lock.



No. 695,489. l Patented ma?. la,A |902.

c; s.` PnunEN. NUT LUCK.

v (Application med Ang. 2a, 1901.) (No Model.) n 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 695,489. Patented Mar. la, |902;

C. S. PRUDEN.

NUT LUCK.

' (Applicstipn filed Aug'. 23, 1 901.) K v ma model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

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i' vNirnn STATES CHARLES S. PRUDEN, OF ROME, GEORGIA.

NUT-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,489, dated March 18, 1902. Application filed August 23, 1901-l Serial No. 73,041. (llo model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that LCHARLns S.'PRUDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rome, in the county of Floydhand State ofGecr'gia, have invented a new and useful Nut-Lock, of which the following is a specification.

The invent-ion relates to improvements in nut-locks.

The object ofthe present invention is to improve the construction of nut-locks and tov provide a simple, inexpensive, and eflicient onel designed more particularly for use at rail-joints and adapted to lock a pair of nuts and capable of effectually preventing the nuts from accidentally unscrewing when the rails are vibrated by the wheels of the train.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation v of a nut-lock constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to a railjoint. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective View of the locking-plate. Fig. 3 isa similar view of the nut. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a locking'- plate, showing a modification of the invention. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a portion of a rail-joint provided with a nut-lock, illustrating another modification of the invention. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the device detached. Fig-7 is a detail sectional view taken longitudinally of the central portion of the device. separable locking devices or members.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a locking-plate designed to be constructed of any suitable material, preferably spring metal, and extending across the space between two bolts 2 of a rail-joint and provided with openings 3 for the reception of the bolts. The locking-plate, which is adapted for use in bridge construction and various other places subject to vibration, is especially' designed for use on rail-joints, asillustrated in Fig. l of the accompanying drawings. The locking-plate is provided at each of the boltopenings with resilient tongues or projections 4, which are adapted to engage a ratchet-face Fig. 8 is a detail view of one of the 5 of a nut 6, which concealsvthe said tongues. The ratchet-face, which may be constructed `in any suitable manner, is adapted to fit against lthe outer face ofthe lockingfplate, and it forms a series of shoulders, which arearranged to be engaged by the resilient tongues 4. The nut is adapted to be screwed up against the locking-plate by a wrench in the usual manner, and when the nut is turned to the right the ratchet-teeth of the ratchetface ride over and depress the resilient tongues, which are formedintegral with the locking-plate. VThe tongues spring into engagement with the shoulders of the lockingplate and effectually prevent the nut from accidentally unscrewing. The locking-plate is provided at its ends with heads or enlarged portions, and it has a connecting-shank 7, which is reduced in size to weaken it and to enable it to be readily severed, and in bolts are replaced, a new locking-plate is,

employed, the old one being destroyed in the act of removing the nuts. Instead of forming grooves to weaken the locking-plate a thin web 10, such as is illustrated in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings, may be employed.

This thin web is adapted to be readily severed to separate'the heads or end portions and to provide ready means for unscrewing the nut. The nuts may be turned off the bolts by the locking-plates, or a wrench or any other tool may be provided Vfor that purpose. The tongues may be constructed as illustrated in Fig. 2, or pointed tongues l1, such `as shown in Fig. It, may be provided, and these tongues may be arranged in any suitable manner, and any form of ratchet-face may be employed.

It will be seen that the nut-lock is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is adapted to be advantageously em- IOO ployed in all places where it is desired to lock a pair of nuts, and that the tongues are concealed bythe nuts and cannot be disengaged from the ratchet-faces of the nuts without severing and separating the ends et' the lockingplate. It will also be apparent that the con necting portion or shank of the locking-plate may be readily cut or severed when it is desired to remove the nuts and that the portions of the shank may be easily bent outward to clear the rails or other adjacent parts and to facilitate the removal of the nuts.

The heads or enlargements of the lockingplate form twin nut-engaging devices or mem bers, and the shank-sections thereof, which are adapted to be bent outward over the nut to enable the same to be readily unscrewed and which are separable, may be detachably secured together, as illustrated in Figs. 5, G, 7, and S of the drawings. The nut-engaging devices or members 12 may be provided with resilient tongues 13 of any desired construction, and they have central bolt-openings 14, similar to those heretofore described. The shanksections 15, which are formed integral with the nut-engaging devices or members, are preferablycomposed of narrow strips of metal, as shown, and are provided at their outer ends with registering` openings 1G, adapted to receive a fastening device 17, which may be of any desired construction. The fastening device 17 preferably consists of a head 1S anda pair of sides or legs adapted after beingr passed through the registering openings to be bent against the outer faces of the shank-sections. rlhe sides or legs are spread, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, and they are adapted to be readily' brought together to permit the sl1ank-sec tions to be separated from each other. The shank-sections afterbeing detached are adapted to be bent outward over their respective nuts to permitthe same to be nnscrewed, and after the nuts have been removed the shanlz sections may be straightened to permit the parts to be again used. The fastening devices whieh detachably secure the ends of the shank-sections together maybe again used and are not injured by the act of separating the twin nut-engaging devices or members. Also various other means may be employed for detachably connecting the shanlt'sections ol.' the twin nut-engaging devices or members or for enabling the same to be readily sev ered or separated when it is desired to remove the nuts.

The nut-lock,which forms twin convertible nutlocking and wrench members and which has temporarilyconnected arms orlevers,may

be provided at the heads from which the arms project with any suitable means for engaging nuts to prevent the same from rotating when the arms or levers are connected and which will enable the nuts to be turned off the bolts when the arms are separated and deilected to form handles.

l/Vhat I claim is- 1. A device of the class described comprising the twin locking plates or members having bolt-openings and provided with means for engaging nuts, said locking plates or members being also provided with inwardly-extending temporarily-connected arms forming handles and adapted, when separated, to be bent outward to permit the locking plates or members and the nuts to be screwed ott the bolts, substantially as described.

2. A device et the class described comprising the twin locking plates or members having bolt-openings and provided with means for engaging nuts, arms extending inward from the plates or members and having their terminals arranged adjacent to each other and adapted, when separated, to be bent outward to form handles for enabling the plates or members and the nuts to be unserewed from the bolts, and a central connecting means uniting the arms and adapted to permit the same to be readily separated, substantially as described.

3. In a nut-lock, the combination of twin convertible nut-locking and wrench members, comprising nut-engaging heads and inwardly extending temporarily connected arms or levers respectively projecting from said heads, and adapted when disconnected to form handles whereby the heads may be rotated to operate the nuts engaged thereby, substantially' as described.

a. In a nut-lock, the combination of twin convertible nut-locking and wrench members, comprising nut-engaging heads and pliable inwardly-extending temporarily-connected arms orlevers respectivelyprojecting from said heads, and adapted when disconnected to be deflected and form handles whereby the heads may be turned to operate the nuts engaged thereby, substantially as described.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES S. PRIUDICY.

lVitnesses:

A. llanuras, J'. A. linnn.

IOO 

